Congrats to Naomi, who won the copy of The One That Got Away (One  & One) by TC Blue!

Congrats to KC (Smokinhotbooks), who won the copy of In and Out (Men of Smithfield) by LB Gregg!

And congrats to orannia, who won the copy of Carnal Intentions (Lost Shifters, Book 4) by Stephani Hecht!

Whew…

Yes, you read correctly – Linkity is now going to be on Fridays instead of Thursdays. *waits for bereft sobbing to die down* Moving right along!

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Contests

• Lea’s giving away an ebook copy of Beth Kery’s forthcoming paranormal romance, Velvet Cataclysm (Princes of the Underground, Book 1). Leave a comment by 6 pm EDT today (May 14) for your chance to win.

• KMont’s giving away two copies of Grace Coopersmith’s forthcoming chick lit novel, Nancy’s Theory of Style. (You might be more familiar with Grace Coopersmith as paranormal romance author Marta Acosta.) Leave a comment about what book’s your feel-good read for your chance to win. Contest closes midnight EDT today (May 14).

• LesleyW wants to know what words you’d like to have banned from books – leave a comment letting her know before May 15 and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready.

• LB Gregg’s celebrating the release of In and Out (Men of Smithfield) by holding a contest – leave a comment (by 1o pm EDT, May 16) guessing where the #@*$()# her keys are for your chance to win a bag of LB Gregg swag and a sack of Lindor truffles.

• Mandi’s giving away five ebook copies of Cry Sanctuary (Red Rock Pass, Book 1) and one ARC ebook of Sanctuary Unbound (Red Rock Pass, Book 4) (both by Moira Rogers). Make sure you read what your comment should include before you leave said comment! Contest closes May 15.

• Jessica of ReadReactReview is giving away a RomCon registration ($125 value). RomCon takes place July 9-11 in Denver and focuses on readers rather than on writers. Contest closes midnight EDT, May 16.

• Bloudeudd’s moving in with her boyfriend. Leave her tips on how to live with a guy for your chance to win several romances. Contest closes May 17.

• Janna’s also giving away a copy of William Cooper’s forthcoming m/m romance short, Broken Bones, Mended Hearts – leave a comment before May 19 to enter.

• SciFiGuy’s giving away two signed copies of Annette McCleave’s latest paranormal romance, Bound by Darkness (Soul Gatherers, Book 2). Comment by midnight EDT, May 19, for your chance to win.

• Shawn Lane’s giving away a copy of her forthcoming m/m romance, Only His Heart (Only, Book 3), to a lucky commenter. You have through May 21 to enter!

• Kim Dare is celebrating two important events in her life by giving away an ebook from her backlist (or an IOU for a future release if you already have her backlist). Leave a comment by midnight GMT, May 23, for your chance to win. (Plus you can find out lots more about Kim in her interview at Author Interviews, Book Reviews, and More.)

• Fantasy Sci-Fi Lovin’ Giveaways is giving away an ARC of John Sandford’s forthcoming Storm Prey, plus a copy of Secret Prey (Book 9). Simply fill out the respective forms by May 28 for your chance to win.

• Knitters Gladys and Dotty are holding a raffle to support their husbands in the Ride2Survive cancer research fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society. You have until noon PDT, June 6, to donate. If it helps convince you, the prizes are completely amazing.

• All Things Urban Fantasy has a list of over a hundred urban fantasy-related contests this week.

Books & Reading

• New release information: Lily (m/m romance), Literary Escapism (PNR, UF, and more, including news and interviews), and Renee (m/m, PNR, etc).

• Val had a great post at Reviews by Jessewave on the obnoxious things that we as book reviewers often do.

• And Val then had another great post on her blog asking what makes books DNF (did not finish). (She’s a deep thinker, our Val.)

• I can’t recommend Jessica’s Monday Morning Stepback posts enough.

• It’s time for the 2009 Cover Cafe Annual Cover Contest!

• Have you checked out the Author Fan Letter Blog Crawl yet? I’m up on May 29th. No, I haven’t selected my author yet. It’ll be a surprise to all of us.

Ebooks

• Dear Author has a new weekly column called Dear Jane, which takes on reader questions about ebooks.

• This 1986 Radio Shack electronic book ad is hysterical.

• Do we actually own the ebooks we buy?

• What are the implications of video game piracy for ebooks?

• After the whole 1984 brouhaha last year, Amazon is understandably very, very cautious about sending out book updates.

• If you’re curious about the B&N Nook, check out author Jill Myles’ amusing review.

• An open letter to Apple, asking them to stop their censoring ways.

• Do multipurpose devices such as the iPhone and iPad lead to more distractions from reading than do dedicated ebook readers and paper books?

• If you’re a student, you might be interested in places where you can download free (and legal) textbooks.

• TeleRead reviews how the Camangi WebStation works as an ereader.

• Is there a future for freelance editors in the age of ebooks?

• Author Charlie Stross makes some predictions about the future of ebooks.

• Is Smashwords the real threat to agency ebook pricing?

• The Kobo Reader should be available in the US in June.

• TeleReader found some fun free pulp fiction reads you can download.

Learn, Make, Do

• Confused about Facebook privacy settings? Check out this pie chart and this matrix. Gizmodo lists more reasons you should think about quitting Facebook. (And our state Senator provides some tips for how to opt-out of Facebook’s “Instant Personalization Program.”)

• Ever wondered how the Library of Congress preserves those crazy old exploding films?

• These hinge hooks are really clever.

• Based on its latest findings, Consumer Reports says that free security software is good enough for most users. (It’s worked great for me for the past five years!)

• Turn an Altoids tin into a tiny stereo mixer.

• Use aluminum foil as a dryer sheet?! (From someone with asthma who believes stinky dryer sheets are evil, this is a great idea!)

Think

• What do you think of the FCC granting “Selectable Output Control” at the MPAA’s request so that you will not be able to record certain things off your tv?

• Ah, Indexed, so skilled at pointing out uncomfortable truths.

• TeddyPig’s been highlighting letters to President Obama asking him to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and I thought this letter from the grandson of President Harry Truman was particularly powerful.

Yum!

• Don’t these gluten-free summer salads sound tasty?

Eeep!

• Proof that my lifelong fear of sinkholes has validity!

Huh

• How handy – a mini donut maker for your desk!

• Turn your juice into booze in 48 hours?! Ewww.

• Dungeons & Dragons soda?!

• Maybe there’s someone in your life who really needs a shark sleeping bag?

• Really, I don’t think that airplanes need balconies.

• And I’m not sure that paper furniture would survive Chaos and Mayhem…

• Please, just say no to Torani Bacon-Flavored Coffee Syrup…

LOL

• The “Little Scarf of Horrors” indeed. (Thanks for the link, Miranda!)

• I don’t know about you, but I’m very pleased to not be a mother opossum.

• Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

• Poor baby!

• Watch out for the library cat…

• Poor Basement Cat. Who knew souls were so fattening? And he’d prefer not to be wet, thanks.**

• Perfectly Chaos.

• Perfectly Mayhem.

• Even kitties can only take so much Twilight.

• Poor vampire kitteh!

Awww

• The last picture (and caption!) is my favorite.

• Two French hikers have been walking from Miami to the tip of South America since 2008. When they reached Louisiana, a stray kitten joined their party!

• Action kitten!

• Melly and the laptop…

• Good luck at your forever home, Maura!

• Baby clouded leopards!

• And baby lions! (Thanks, CursingMama.)

• Squee! Squee! And more squee!

Reading Update
Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 8 ) by J.R. Ward. *gasp* Not an ebook (bless the library). Not (precisely) m/m! This paranormal romance isn’t one you should pick up unless you’ve read the previous seven books. Fortunately, Lover Mine, being the story of John Matthew and Xhex, was very good. (Oh, come on, aren’t you a little paranoid with each new book now, after the debacle that was Lover Enshrined? And don’t even get me started on “Doc Jane”…) I even got a bit teary once or twice. And if Qhuinn had appeared in my living room, I would’ve smacked him silly.
In and Out (Men of Smithfield) by L.B. Gregg. ebook ARC. Very good m/m romance about a disgraced and now agoraphobic writer whose sanctuary is breached by a gardener, a corpse, his ex, and more! I was late to work yesterday morning because I had to finish reading it. LB does such a nice job balancing the tender with the madcap, while managing to infuse both with plenty of humor. (I also liked the tie-in to Gobsmacked.)
Curious? A Woman’s Introduction to Gay Romance, edited by Elizabeth North. ebook collection. Very good m/m romance collection featuring stories by Amy Lane, Sean Kennedy, S. Blaise, M. Jules Aedin, Anna J. Linden, Chrissy Munder, Ashlyn Kane, Jaymz Connelly, Catt Ford, Isabelle Rowan, Bethany Brown, G.S. Wiley, and Janey Chapel. I really can’t remember if I’ve read a collection that I liked better. I think it would indeed serve as a good introduction to the genre.
Pain Management by Cassidy Ryan & Zoe Nichols. ebook. Very good m/m romance about two guys who are business partners and best friends, until a drunken night together threatens all of it. Um, I might’ve cried a bit – this one really got to me!
Between Want and Need To by Kris Dylan. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a fashion photographer who’s lived behind sturdy emotional walls for a long time – will he be able to face his demons and get beyond those walls?
Deadly Nightshade, Deadly Wrong, Deadly Dreams, and Deadly Slumber (Deadly Mysteries, Books 1-4) by Victor J. Banis. ebooks. rereads. These excellent m/m mysteries are set in San Francisco. (I’m rereading so I’m ready for the release of the fifth book. I actually reread the first two last month, but don’t seem to have mentioned them here…) Anyway! In the first book, gay police rookie Stanley must be the perfect guy to work on solving murders committed by a drag queen, right? While the SFPD thinks so, straight cop Tom, who gets stuck with Stanley as a partner, is not at all convinced. The first book, Deadly Nightshade, is available free at the GLBT Bookshelf (go! go now!), but be warned that if you start to read it and like it, you should immediately purchase the second book. You will be most unhappy if you finish the first book without the second book on hand. Trust me on this one.
Broken Bones, Mended Hearts by William Cooper. ebook short. Good non-angsty m/m romance short about a college student whose best friend helps him out after he’s been severely beaten.
Gay Pride (G-A-Y, Book 7) by Kim Dare. ebook short. Enjoyable m/m romance about a dom, not very active in the scene lately due to his activism, who opens his door to discover a drunk young man wearing nothing but a Pride flag.
Your Forever (Eight of Wands) by Jenna Jones. ebook short. Sweet m/m romance about a guy who over thinks everything, including getting involved with his best friend’s younger half-brother.
Taste Test: Shot Through the Heart by D.C. Juris, J.L. Merrow, and Lenore Black. ebook collection. This collection contained three short’n’sweet m/m romances loosely organized around the theme of Cupid.
Il Cavaliere delle Tazze (The Knight of Cups) by Kiernan Kelly. ebook short. Ok m/m time travel romance about a starving actor who receives a mysterious Tarot card in the mail – and the card takes him on a very unexpected journey.
Crossroads by Keta Diablo. ebook. So-so paranormal m/m about a cop turned private investigator who communicates with the dead when he meditates. Be warned that this book contains dub con – I’m not a fan, although it’s totally an old school romance and yaoi trope. (Hi, Torso Guy!)
Blood Prince (Wolf Creek Pack, Book 4) by Stormy Glenn. ebook. Pretty much what you expect from a Stormy Glenn m/m paranormal, although I’d be surprised if anyone actually edited this one.
Walking the Straight Line by D.J. Manly. ebook short. Ok m/m romance short about a dentist who has a crush on his straight best friend from college… and then his friend visits with a guy in tow…
Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Vic Winter. ebook short. Good m/m romance short about a guy who’s dragged to a gay B&B for the weekend, in the hope that it will help him get over his ex.

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** “Bwa-ha-ha! All your souls are mine mine mine! Bwa-ha-ha!” -Chaos

Have a lovely weekend, everyone! I’m definitely looking forward to a little sunshine after a cold’n’cloudy week here.

Congrats to Jase, who won the copy of Gay Pride (G-A-Y, Book 7) by Kim Dare!

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Contests

• Largehearted Boy’s giving away a $100 Threadless gift certificate and assorted books and cds. For your chance to win, leave a comment by midnight CDT, May 7, naming  your favorite summertime drink.

• Tracy’s giving away an ARC of Diana Palmer’s forthcoming romantic suspense, Dangerous. Leave a comment by midnight PDT , May 8, for your chance to win.

• Smexy Books, CursingMama, the Book Binge, and many other blogs, helpfully listed at the Book Binge, are holding Mother’s Day romance novel giveaways. Make sure you read the rules so your comment counts! Contests close at various times on May 9.

• SciFiGuy is giving away two copies of Jaime Rush’s new urban fantasy, Touching Darkness. Leave a comment by midnight EDT, May 10, for your chance to win.

• Patti’s celebrating her birthday by giving away a signed copy of Maggie Stiefvater’s young adult novel, Shiver. Read her post for details before you leave your comment! Contest closes midnight CDT, May 10.

• Ralph’s celebrating his birthday by giving away a copy of Kim Dare’s paranormal m/m romance, Ryland’s Sacrifice (Thrown To the Lions, Book 1). For your chance to win, leave a comment by midnight EDT, May 13.

• Jackie of Literary Escapism is having a Race for the Cure fundraising contest. Check out her blog for the details and list of prizes.

• Abigail of All Things Urban Fantasy lists over 100 urban fantasy-related contests in this week’s post. Book Junie lists assorted romance-related contests.

Books & Reading

• New release info: Lily (m/m romance), Katiebabs (various romance genres), Blackraven (Samhain Publishing), All About Romance (audiobooks), Smokin’ Hot Books (paranormal romance/urban fantasy), SciFiGuy (urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and more – plus news and other goodies), and All Things Urban Fantasy (self-explanatory, no?).

• Smart Bitches and Dear Author have released TBR, an iPhone app for romance readers.

• ReadReactReview on feeling as if you’re a slow reader when everyone else is reading fast.

• Google’s planning to open its own ebook store by early summer.

• Beware iPad ebook scams…

• The Kobo ereader arrives.

• The Aluratek Libre is another inexpensive barebones ereader.

• Why people still use DRM.

• Publishers who pushed the new pricing model should perhaps start to worry…

• If popular culture might be contributing to depression, what role does romance play in that?

• Well-known m/m romance author Z.A. Maxfield now has a NY agent – but they don’t want her to write m/m.

• Both Kris and Katiebabs have posts about the difference between comfort reads and rereads.

• Hot guys who read. Could this be a dating service, please?

Learn, Do, Make

• If you’re not exactly sure how a cell phone call works, check out this infographic.

• Lifehacker has some interesting ideas for establishing and maintaining your online identity.

• What should you do if someone’s been scraping (ie, plagiarizing) your blog?

• Make your own Pop-Tarts!

• This has promise for hiding a litterbox in plain sight.

• Serious lack of sleep is like being drunk? Makes sense to me!

• If Facebook’s policies are starting to worry you and you don’t want to take the drastic step of deleting your account, try some apps that could help you fight back.

• Lynn Viehl has a list of free alternatives to popular software.

• Why do I always forget about the annual Beltane/May Day celebration at Powderhorn Park?!

• It was sobering to read Eyre’s post and look at the Hate Map… If you’ve ever thought, “Oh, that wouldn’t happen here” – think again.

Wow

• Some kitties are really destructive scratchers!

Huh

• I’m glad that this alarm clock that wakes you up with woodpecker noises is only a concept.

• White Castle Scented Candles…

• Yin and yang bunk beds?!

• Fortunately, the desktop microwave is still a concept, too.

LOL

• Did you know that the internet is really made from cats? (Thanks, Karen!)

• Heh. (Thanks, MamaTulip!)

• Are you a nerd, geek, or dork?

• Sometimes Indexed is more uncomfortably realistic than funny…

• Kitty airbrushing scandal?!

• Ouch!

• Beware of Basement Cat’s mom!

• Oh no! Something more evil than Basement Cat?!

• No! Not the boiling oil!

• Oh oh… If you’ve been following Brigitte’s quest to not alert Atticus that he’s going to the vet… there’s been a dark turn of events.

Teh Cute

• Stripey kittens! (Shh, don’t tell May…)

• Hugging kittens.

• Pile o’ kittens.

Reading Update
Icing on the Cake by Shayla Kersten. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who’s the man of honor for his best friend’s wedding. She puts him in charge of getting the cake… and oh, that baker is hot. (I wish Shayla Kersten wrote more m/m, because I’ve really enjoyed what she does have out… *hint hint*)
Gaps in Your Soul by Shayla Kersten. ebook reread. Um, yeah, so after reading the previous book, I felt the need to read some more Shayla Kersten. This is a pretty good m/m romance about… Hmm. Having trouble with a summary. At its most basic? I’d say it’s about how the US military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy messes with people’s minds and ultimately messes them up.
The One That Broke Free (One, Book 4) by T.C. Blue. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a soldier who was discharged ten years ago after his leg was permanently damaged. Since then, he’s been living alone in the small, closed-minded Southern town where he grew up, but after being in Boston for his brother and brother-in-law’s wedding, he’s rethinking his life. (I was lucky enough to win this from the author! Thanks, TC! And hey, TC will be giving away an ebook here at SOC tomorrow…)
Out of Balance by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about a banker who’s been going through a rough time when a hunky customer asks him out.
Two Man Team (Team, Book 2) by Jet Mykles. ebook. Do I hear bodies hitting the floor out there?! Sarah reviewed this book and I was intrigued. (No, it wasn’t because of the Candy Cane Guy cover!) It’s an m/m romance that starts as an m/f/m romance and I’m not a fan of menagey books. But this one managed to avoid the big issue I have with menagey books, so it actually worked pretty well.
Vindaloo and the T-Bird by Sarah Black. ebook short. Good m/m romance about an eye surgeon who buys an old T-Bird so he has an excuse to spend time with the mechanic he used to date. There’s one thing that bothered me about this, but it’s a spoiler – we can talk about it in email if you’ve read the book!
Object of His Desire by Ava March. ebook. Good m/m Regency romance (I’ll give you a minute to recover) about a young man who’s been at a debauched house party for a week. He hasn’t participated because he’s been pining for the lord who’s hosting the party. Alas, he knows his affections won’t be returned, as the lord is ostensibly using the week to audition for his next mistress… (And yes, that’s Underwear Guy on the cover!)
Convincing Arthur by Ava March. ebook. Another good m/m Regency romance! It turns out that I don’t mind (and actually enjoy) historicals if they aren’t overburdened with historical details. I know that some love reading elaborate details of the clothes, the furnishings, the food… but that’s what turned me off of historicals in the past. Anyway! Leopold’s been waiting for Arthur to be free from his long-term and unfaithful lover. Now that Arthur’s free, will Leopold’s own debauched reputation keep Arthur away?
Fantasies: Christmas by Cassandra Gold. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who’s had a really bad week (he gets laid off, his beloved old cat dies, and his boyfriend dumps him by email) until he wins a Hawaiian vacation at the liquor store and invites the helpful guy next in line to go with him.
Cutting Cords by Mickie B. Ashling. ebook. Good m/m romance about two young men who end up as roommates in NYC because their dads were pro baseball teammates once upon a time. One guy is going blind but in denial (about more than just going blind *ahem*). The other is dealing (not so well) with crippling self-esteem issues. This story is told in alternating first- and third-person point-of-view, but I think it would’ve worked better if it had been entirely in third-person.
Poker Night 5: Full House by Carol Lynne. ebook. Well, I had to know how it all ended, since the story of Kent and Marco has been building through the previous four books! I enjoyed it, but I’d recommend reading the rest of the series first.
Theron’s Return (Campus Cravings, Book 11) by Carol Lynne. ebook. Um, I sort of pick these m/m romances up randomly as the descriptions strike my fancy, so for me, this is a completely nonlinear series. This one’s about a guy living in BK House who’s had a really, really bad year and simply can’t deal with it any more. It was ok – exactly the sort of read I needed at the time.
Calendar Boys April: Out of the Storm by Jamie Craig. ebook. Good m/m romance about a meteorologist who’s just been dumped by his boyfriend on a weekend getaway when a hunky ranger shows up at his cabin door, stranded by a surprise storm. (Wait, just how many dumped boyfriend books did I read this week?!)
Calendar Boys August: Scorched by Jamie Craig. ebook. Another good m/m romance – this one’s about a NYC firefighter who returns to Utah to help fight an out-of-control wildfire and runs into his former best friend’s kid brother.
Apotrope by Chris Owen. ebook short. Huh. This paranormal m/m romance about a vampire trying to impress a guy just never came together for me. (It’s part of Torquere’s Spice It Up series and the spice in question was garlic.)
Murder by Design by Jade Falconer. ebook. Um. Well, this m/m romance about a cop investigating the murder of a slutty model’s sugar daddy might’ve been better if half of it was cut out – I’d recommend the extremely repetitive scenes in which our two heroes gushed lovingly at each other over and over and over, ad nauseum.

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So my friend CJ went to RT and all I got was… dang. A lot of goodies! Thank you, CJ! And thanks to all the authors who signed stuff for me.

“Mom, I’m truly alarmed by the large number of naughty boys and utter lack of black kitties.” -Mayhem

Contests

• Ralph’s giving away an ebook copy of Addison Albright’s sweet short m/m romance, Cow Pie Bingo. Contest closes at midnight EDT today, April 29.

• Largehearted Boy’s giving away a copy of The Essential Wonder Woman Encyclopedia and a selection of books and cds. Leave a comment about your favorite female superhero by midnight CDT, April 30, for your chance to win.

• Jackie of Literary Escapism is holding a baby pool – two lucky winners will receive $15 gift certificates to the online bookstore of their choice.

• LesleyW has more questions about prequels – answer them in her comments by May 3 for your chance to win a copy of Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler.

• SciFiGuy’s giving away a $10 Amazon e-gift card and an ebook copy of Jessica Lee’s new paranormal romance, Dark Desires at Midnight (closes midnight EDT, May 3). He’s also giving away a book from Michael J. Sullivan’s Riyria Revelations fantasy series (closes midnight EDT, May 5).

• Cecile’s giving away a $10 gift card to the Cheesecake Factory and a copy of Lissa Matthews’ steamy romance, Sweet Caroline. Contest closes May 7 and the winner will be announced May 9.

• Ms Moonlight is giving away five print m/m romance books (Tri-Omega Mates by Stormy Glenn; Switch by Claire Thompson; Frost Fair by Erastes; Male of the Species by Kate Steele; Polar Reaction by Claire Thompson) to a follower of her blog. Contest closes noon EDT, May 7. You must live in the US or Canada to win.

• Tracy’s giving away an ARC of Diana Palmer’s forthcoming romantic suspense, Dangerous. Leave a comment by midnight PDT , May 8, for your chance to win.

• For your chance to win one of three copies of Debbie Macomber’s latest romance, Hannah’s List (and maybe a $25 Visa gift card), leave a comment at Book Addict or at Fiction Vixen by May 7. Or leave a comment at the Book Binge by 11:59 pm, May 10. Book Junkie’s having the same contest.

• Oh, you lucky Canadians – SciFiGuy is giving away five copies of J.R. Ward’s new Black Dagger Brotherhood novel, Lover Mine, but you must have a Canadian address to enter. Contest closes midnight EDT, May 10.

• Abigail’s got links to over a hundred urban fantasy related contests.

Free Reads

• Check out the Free Gay Ebooks page at the GLBT Bookshelf, which has free stories from Josh Lanyon, Mary Calmes, Victor J. Banis (the first Stanley and Tom Deadly mystery! I love that series.), Eden Winters, P.D. Singer, P.A. Brown, Claire Thompson, and more. (Thanks to Mary Calmes for the link!)

• My Reading Update (below) has links to some of the books above, plus links to additional free m/m romance ebooks. Apparently it was freebie week!

• Debbie Macomber’s knitting-related romance, The Shop on Blossom Street, is currently a free download at OmniLit until May 4.

Reading & Book Miscellania

• For info on new releases (and more): SciFiGuy (UF, PNR, scifi, etc),  Lily (m/m romance), Elisa (LGBT), and Literary Escapism (UF, PNR, etc).

• Carolyn Jewel responds to recent Huffington Post article called “Why Men Don’t Read.”

• Beware this nasty and elaborate scam in which victims are pressured to accept a “‘pre-trial settlement’ for copyright violations.”

• Josh Lanyon ponders why we need fiction and storytelling in our lives.

• LB Gregg contemplates consolidating her online identities.

• Carolyn Crane wonders why comfort reads are comforting.

• Make sure you read Amy Lane’s hysterical filk, “The Rise of the Plotbunnies”!

• Check out Lynn Viehl’s humorous writing horoscopes.

• Best meeting recap ever.

• Hmm. This bookcase seems like it’d be a bit hard on books – but what great exercise!

• Need more linkity? Try Lynn Viehl’s post on cool bookcases,  Monday Stepback at ReadReactReview, Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog, Dear Author, or the Book Smugglers post on blogging drama (featuring hysterical comic).

Ebook News & Views

• TeleRead reports that Shelf Awareness has a round-up of reviews on how the iPad works for reading.

• More on ebooks and the downfall of literature.

• Some articles on how public libraries are dealing with ebooks.

• What should you do if you buy an ebook that has so many errors it’s nearly incomprehensible?

• Oh, check out the second Kindle 2 case in this review – it has a built-in bookstand!

• Dear Author describes how to share ebooks without stripping the DRM.

• The future of ebooks – locked down or open?

• How could ebooks and ebook readers be improved?

• Reading an iPad (or other LCD reading device) might make it harder for you to fall asleep.

• Using less paper could endanger the supply of toilet paper?!

Covers

• Alex Beecroft on why so many books have naked torso covers (ie, what makes the Misadventures in Stock Photography possible).

• Thanks to SciFiGuy for the link to the amusing Good Show, Sir blog, which features the very worst of scifi and fantasy covers, complete with snarky commentary.

• Miranda found some examples of cover art resuse.

• The Book Smugglers have a new monthly feature called Cover Matters. In this month’s post, they interview fantasy writer Celine Kiernan about her covers. They also posted the results of their survey on how much covers matter to readers.

• Smart Bitches has a little narrative about a few covers featuring backs and chests.

Reviewing

• Kassa wonders what you think of reviews in which the reviewer states “I don’t usually like read this genre” – do you give the review more or less credence?

• Val considers the role of authors on blogs that review their books.

Learn, Make, Do, Think

• Hmm. Depressed people eat 50% more chocolate than non-depressed people.

• Lay’s has restructured salt to help it dissolve faster and reduce the amount of salt needed for taste.

• The consequences of gay marriage… (via CursingMama)

• Hee hee – Brazil’s health minister suggests that Brazilians should have more sex to help reduce high blood pressure.

• Which states use the most gas per capita? I suspect that Minnesota’s poor showing has to do with the summer tradition of going nord to da cabin…

• High doses of aspirin might be as effective as some prescriptions for combating migraines. (Curses, I get hives from aspirin.)

• Too bad this shark fin tea infuser is just a concept.

• Check out the results of this laptop reliability study before you buy a new laptop. (short lines = good)

• Rick Adin on Arizona’s new proof-of-citizenship law.

• If you’re into genealogy, check out the new FamilySearch.

• The Foreign Service Institute has placed its extensive language courses online for free.

• Lifehacker has the lowdown on hangover cures.

• Make a crossbow out of office supplies…

• Danger! Make your own Snickers bars at home.

Huh

• A Post-It assault rifle?

• The Starship Meaterprise…

• A sculpture made from cords and cables – love the quote from Gizmodo: “I do, though, wish I could stop myself from thinking how annoying it’d be to untangle all of those cords.”

• The Boy Scouts now have a video game merit badge?!

Gluten-Free

• Maybe I need to march across the highway some day when I’m at work and visit the headquarters of General Mills to thank them for continuing to bring gf products mainstream – look for gf Bisquick and gf Hamburger Helper later this summer.

• Lots of good tips for traveling gluten free without dining out from the Triumph Dining blog.

• Thanks to Miranda for sending me these tasty looking gluten-free pasta recipes!

LOL

• The Blogess on why the new Anti-Zombie Night Table will get you killed. (Thanks to CursingMama for the link.)

• Keep this chart handy so you can determine how trustworthy someone is by the amount of facial hair he has. As Tam pointed out, werewolves are more trustworthy than someone with a Hitler mustache. Heh. (Thanks to CursingMama again!)

• 15 unintentionally perverted toys… Totally NSFW.

• Ha – the relationship between sense of humor, drama, and taking offense.

• If you’re curious about how that Icelandic volcano got its name… (Thanks, Marsha!)

• Brigitte’s been sharing her training regime for getting (C)Atticus to the vet…

• Cat cakes featured at Cake Wrecks – presumably none of the cakes are made from cats, but it’s often hard to tell with Wrecks!

• RIP, CheetahCat.

• Does evil really taste like black jellybeans?

• Be careful if you startle your cats…

• Not everyone is impressed by the power of Basement Kitteh.

• You know how true this is if you’ve ever tried to share a bed with a cat.

• On starting a knitting blog…

The Cute

• A retro kitten tote that promotes pet adoption.

• A kitten and a feather toy.

• A kitten and a cup of coffee.

• A kitten balancing act.

• Sparkleball standoff!

• Dishwasher with a kitten infestation.

• Kittens and a lamp.

Reading Update
All or Nothing (Taking the Odds, Book 3) by James Buchanan. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense, being the continuing adventures of Nicky and Brandon. With a beloved series, I always worry that a new release won’t live up to the previous books, but I should’ve known better. So go. Go get the first book, Cheating Chance, and read it. I’ll wait.
Only for Him (Only, Book 2) by Shawn Lane. ebook. Sweet m/m romance about a slightly outrageous administrative assistant at a law firm who’s really attracted to a cutely nerdy guy (one of the firm’s partners).
Cow Pie Bingo by Addison Albright. ebook short. reread. A guy who’s recently realized that he’s gay but has no idea what to do next discovers a very cute guy in line at his kissing booth…
The Wish by Eden Winters. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romance about two guys who have never met, but dislike each other based on reputation and circumstance. (Hmm. Possibly my most vague summary ever!) I don’t want to tell you too much about the story, because part of what I enjoyed about it was reading and putting the pieces together. How about I just say I highly recommend it?
The Boy Under the Bridge by Eden Winters. ebook short. This is about a character who makes a brief appearance in The Wish and isn’t treated particularly well or shown in the best light – it’s surprisingly satisfying to find out what happens to him. You should definitely read The Wish first!
The Telling by Eden Winters. free ebook. Good m/m romance about a soldier who returns from Iraq suffering from PTSD and crippling guilt.
The French Have a Word for It by Josh Lanyon. free ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a young man painting in France who runs into the bodyguard who rescued him from kidnappers when he was a teen.
Pinky Swear by Lynn Lorenz. ebook. Good m/m romance about two guys who grew up next door to each other in New Orleans and were best friends until a misunderstanding drove them apart and they lost touch… and then Hurricane Katrina arrives.
Upwardly Mobile by Clare London. ebook short. Steamy m/m romance about a couple talking to each other on the phone, one from his parked car, the other from the train…
Home Sweet Home by Clare London. ebook short. Ok m/m romance about a couple who have been taking a break from each other, not sure that their differences are surmountable.
Swap Meet by Lolita Lopez. ebook. This m/m romance is terribly misnamed. It should be The Straight French Billionaire and the Gay Firefighter, especially since it reads like a smokin’ hot category romance, complete with the slightly awkward writing. The straight French billionaire is accompanying a female coworker to a partner swapping event – he’s just there because she needs to appear to be part of a couple to get in. A mysterious, magnetically handsome man gives the billionaire a card with just a name and a room number and the billionaire cannot resist going to the room… (Issue: If this is a couple’s event, who the heck did said magnetically handsome man arrive with? That’s never mentioned.)
Last One Standing (The Five of Swords) by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde. ebook. Decent m/m romance about a prostitute who tries to blackmail a customer and instead ends up off the streets, working as a dishwasher. I liked this a lot more before the ending – it felt like the story simply stopped. If this kicks off one of those Torquere serials, I’ll be mightily annoyed. (Also, if they managed to tie the Tarot into this Arcana, I completely missed it.)
Angelfish by M. King. ebook. Very good m/m story about a guy, back in New Zealand after attending college in England, who isn’t settling comfortably into parental expectations as he’s haunted by the mocking image of a tattoo.
The Ice Shack by M. King. ebook short. Good m/m short about a couple getting away from their families over the holidays.
First Day of Forever by Mary Calmes. free ebook short. Sweet m/m romance about two guys who were best friends growing up. Did one wait too long to figure out what he wanted? (Needs a few more commas…)
If by Rowena Sudbury. free ebook short. Meh m/m story about two martial artists who train and live together, until one realizes the other has been lying to him. I didn’t really care about either of them by the end of the story, so… *sigh*
Waiting by P.D. Singer. free ebook short. Good m/m romance about a spring break that gets off to a really rocky start when Daniel’s boyfriend shows up at the airport with a girl clinging to him.
More Than Just a Good Book by Sloan Parker. free ebook short. Very good m/m short story about two guys who meet in the college library. *fans self*
Gregori’s Ghost by Sarah Black. free ebook. Very good m/m romance about a neurologist whose dying grandfather charges him with looking after the son of a man befriended by his grandfather during WWII. I’m definitely going to be reading more Sarah Black.
Some Place Only We Know by Christiane France. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a rather innocent bookstore owner who volunteers at a hospice, where he meets a writer who’s visiting his brother. Beware! Instalove alert!
The Five of Wands by Sara Bell. ebook. Decent m/m romance about a resident suspended after being accused of a careless medication error who finds help from an unexpected source.
Only Human by Glyn Soitino. ebook short. Good paranormal m/m romance about a man, created by a wizard with all the knowledge he needs to survive, who falls for a closeted cop. I didn’t realize until I was well into this story that it was the sequel to Out of the Blue. Oh well.
Hoosier Werewolf: Howl and Prowl by Kate Steele. ebook collection. Very good paranormal m/m romance collection of three stories about werewolves finding their mates. The cover’s the usual Changeling Press horror and the title’s kind of weird, but this was one well-done and scorching read.
BDSFerret by Celia Kyle. holiday ebook short. While this m/m paranormal romance about a ferret shifter going to a prairie dog shifter bar is billed as being a satire, it only managed that once or twice.
Passion’s Victory by K.C. Kendricks. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a guy who owns part of an architectural firm and can’t resist the newly contracted, older architect. Does Kendricks always write in first person point-of-view? Seems like it, from what I’ve read. Not my favorite, especially when the characters don’t seem particularly guy-like.
A Hard Habit To Break by K.C. Kendricks. ebook. Another so-so romance about two guys who’ve been in love with each other since high school, but allowed massive miscommunication and misunderstandings to come between them. Another story told in first person… Also, I think the blurb for this one is a bit misleading, so beware.

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*happy sleepy stretchy clawy purry* -Chaos

Congrats to Deanna, who won the copy of A.M. Riley’s recent m/m romantic suspense, Son of a Gun!

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Contests

• Let LesleyW know what you think of ebook prequels to books that are released as print books. If you comment by April 23, you’ll have the chance to win a copy of Touch of Evil by C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp.

• Largehearted Boy is giving away a $100 Threadless gift certificate and a copy of Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend to one lucky commenter who names their favorite baseball player by midnight CDT, April 23.

• Katiebabs is giving away a copy of Lisa Valdez’s new historical romance, Patience (Passion Quartet, Book 2). Leave a comment by April 23 for your chance to win.

• If you’ve always thought that Bruce and Vishous should’ve ended up together (Black Dagger Brotherhood), rush right over to Smexy Books, where Mandi makes it happen! While you’re there, leave a comment for your chance to win a signed copy of Lover Mine, the latest in the BDB saga. Contest closes April 24.

• Janna’s giving away a copy of Vivian Arend’s Rocky Mountain Heat (Six Pack Ranch, Book 1) to someone who comments by the evening of April 24 and a copy of Sloan Parker’s recent m/m/m romance, More, to someone who comments by the evening of April 26.

• Heather’s giving away a copy of the Harlequin collection, More Than Words, Volume 6, which honors five women who’ve made a difference. Leave a comment by April 26 for your chance to win.

• For every comment made on Jane’s April 4th post (to celebrate her first year free of cancer treatment) by April 28 (her birthday!), Jane will make a donation to the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation. (Plus anyone who comments on the April 4th post is entered in a drawing to win yarn or book prizes from Jane!)

• In honor of Earth Day, Ralph’s giving away a copy of Addison Albright’s recently re-released short m/m romance, Cow Pie Bingo. Leave a comment by midnight ET, April 29, for your chance to win.

• Book Junkie’s got quite a few contests listed (and they aren’t specifically urban fantasy print books). Abigail’s got 124 (or so) urban fantasy print book giveaways in her post this week. And Miranda keeps a running list of contests in her sidebar (again, not limited to urban fantasy print books).

Reading & Beyond

• For info on new and upcoming releases, contests, interviews, and more: Lily (m/m romance), Literary Escapism (paranormal romance, urban fantasy), Katiebabs (all sorts of romance), and SciFi Guy (urban fantasy, paranormal romance, etc).

• Donna Fantasy Dreamer put her blog on hiatus – we’ll miss you, Donna!

• Both KMont and Katiebabs found examples of cover art reuse last week!

• From EH, looks like social network Ning is trying becoming a pay service.

• TeleRead highlighted an overview article about the future of eInk, including color and increased contrast.

• A review of the forthcoming Kobo ereader from TeleRead.

• Some new iPad reviews, including an indepth review from Dear Author on the iPad eBook app.

• For the record? It’s not so easy to hide your plagiarism in this internet age – especially if you’re plagiarizing a well-known romance review blog.

• Hmm. Piracy, while not a good thing, might not be killing music after all… so what are the implications for ebooks?

• The RIAA and MPAA want to implement a plan that automatically finds and deletes copyright-infringing items on your computer…

• According to a recent survey, PCs are the real competition for Kindles and iPads and other dedicated reading devices.

• The New Yorker takes an in-depth look at the publishing power struggle between Amazon, Apple, and Google.

• I love the Monday Morning Stepback posts from Jessica at ReadReactReview – this week, she talks about steampunk, book blogs and marketing, the implications for ebooks of Apple banning apps in its app store (did you hear about the Pulitzer-winning cartoonist whose app was rejected?), and an application called Freedom which can lock out your internet connection for a set period of time to help you work without distractions.

• Some great links in this post from Dear Author. Sydney also has some fun links, including to an etsy seller who makes tiny books that you can wear on a necklace. And Anastasia has even more links! (Y’know, just in case there aren’t enough links for you here, Wren.)

• Lilith Saintcrow linked to a post from Jennifer Crusie that’s a must-read for authors trying to make time for their writing – Taking Out the Garbage: How To Protect Your Work and Get Your Life.

• Thought-provoking post from author Alexi Silversmith on using pen names when writing m/m fiction. And another post about why an alias can be a very good for authors. Finally, do readers care about pen names?

• Via Lynn Viehl, Coyote Con is a digital author conference held by Drollerie Press during May.

• Have any of you used the Google Books feature of your Google account? What did you think of it?

• Letter to a reader by excellent m/m romantic suspense author Josh Lanyon.

• Jenre did a really interesting series of posts at Desert Island Keepers on category romance themes in m/m romance: historicals, westerns, and others.

• Rich Adin of An American Editor crafted his manifesto for BLASTR (Book Lovers Acting to Save Readers).

Learn-Do-Make

• If you use Adobe Reader, be warned that you should change a setting to avoid a new malware threat.

• Jordan Castillo Price posts about how to read faster.

• Moderncat has cat photography tips.

• Seven inexpensive iPad stands you can make, courtesy of Lifehacker.

• Windows maintenance tips, presented in handy charts.

• An amusing infographic to help you choose the perfect font for your project.

• Does heating water in the microwave first really make for better microwave popcorn?

• I’m a big fan of storage beds (my bed has no under to collect dust bunnies – it’s all dust-free storage). Check out the clever storage bed at ikea hacker.

• Turn a small bookcase into a cheap cat tree.

• Turn your refrigerator into a giant chalkboard! (Thanks for the link, CursingMama!)

• What a clever way to leave yourself high-visibility reminders!

• Too bad these floppy disk post-its are only a concept right now.

• Telecommuting myths debunked.

• How to make inside-out peanut butter cups. (Although they look more like muffins to me…)

• Build your own cotton candy machine.

• Look! “Proof” of time travel! (It is a really cool photo.)

Sad

• This is a heart-breaking story about an elderly gay couple, who’d done as much as they could to protect themselves legally… and it didn’t matter.

LOL

• Ha! How mechanical pencil sharpeners really work.

• Beware if you play with your cat using a laser pointer!

• How to tell that it’s Monday…

• How to tell that your cat has issues.

• Look out, Ceiling Cat!

• If you tend to be more tactful than sarcastic, skip this one.

• Strangely, I don’t find this as funny as I probably should… *ahem*

• Lightsaber chopsticks, anyone?

• What your computer is thinking about you…

• Via Cursing Mama, the Bloggess on accidentally brushing her teeth with eyelash glue…

WTF

• The (mostly) anatomically correct Rectum Bar?!

• I had no idea it was possible to outsource grading papers…

• Wow, it’s actually possible to sign away your soul if you don’t read the fine print…

• Some cool and unusual knitting, but the deep-fried gansey is very odd… Link courtesy of Amy Lane.

Squee!

• If you like pictures of cute boys with cats, there’s now a website devoted entirely to such pictures – and it even looks safe for work.

• Kitten.

• Very close kitten.

• Yawning kitten.

• Grooming kitten.

• Curled tail kitten.

• Kitten tummy.

• Kitten vs gravity.

• KittenS.

• Tuxedo kittens.

• Dangling kittens.

Reading Update
Jude in Chains by K. Z. Snow. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a gay journalist who attends a “reparative therapy” camp pretending to be a straight journalist.
Out of the Blue by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Very good m/m historical romance about a British and an American pilot in France during World War I.
The One That Stayed by T.C. Blue. ebook. Poignantly sweet m/m romance with characters who will be familiar to those who’ve read TC Blue’s The One That Was Lost and The One That Got Away. The story is told in a mixture of present day and flashbacks, with perhaps a bit too much headhopping.
Cinnamon Dreams by Vic Winter. ebook short. Cute short m/m romance a guy who ditches his hated office job to work in a bakery, where he spends a lot of time drooling over the hunky baker…
Officers in Need and Uniform Hardness by John Simpson. ebook shorts. These short m/m stories had some of the most stilted, least natural sounding dialogue I’ve ever read. They weren’t meant to be humorous, but I laughed out loud more than once. Ouch.
Man Down by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Enjoyable m/m romance about a paramedic student with a secret past and a paramedic who doesn’t really want to find him intriguing. While the characters from Running Hot do make brief appearances in this book, I think either book could be read first.
Still the One (The Best Gift, Book 2) by Shawn Lane. ebook short. This sweet m/m romance takes place five years after The Best Gift. Malcolm and Dusty are deeply committed to each other, but what will happen when they end up on opposite coasts for their careers?
Until the End of Time (At Long Last, Book 2) by Shawn Lane. ebook. Good m/m romance follow-up to At Long Last. Prescott and Scott have been together for seven months, but is Prescott ever going to admit to his parents and friends that Scott’s not simply his roommate?
Finding the Divine by J.L. Jensen. ebook short. Good m/m romance about a nurse who becomes friends and roommates with the sexy new doctor at the hospital. They’re attracted to each other, but neither knows the other is gay. This was part of Torquere’s “Arcana” series and was the first one I’d read in which the Tarot played a major part in the story instead of just being added as an afterthought. Also, it was set in the Twin Cities, which is always fun for me to read.
If I Must by Amy Lane. ebook short. reread. After reading the great review of this sweet m/m romance short at Reviews by Jessewave, I had the urge to reread it myself. Just as good the second time as it was the first!
The New Client by J.M. Snyder. ebook short. Meh short m/m mystery about a PI who’s hired by woman to find her missing twin brother. Not much of a mystery, plus a pretty glaring condom gaffe.
Savage Awakenings (Lost Shifters, Book 3) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. I have to confess I’ve put off reading this m/m paranormal because it’s Rat’s story; since I’ve always had this urge to punch Rat in the previous two books, I wasn’t sure I could make it through his book. Instead, I got totally sucked into the story.
Bound by Nature (Force of Nature, Book 1) by Cooper Davis. ebook. I really liked Boys of Summer by Cooper Davis. Alas, this m/m werewolf romance does not measure up well. While I don’t mind books in which flashbacks are used well (such as in Amor en Retrogrado and Son of a Gun), the alternating chapters of present and past in this book drove me nuts. As did a glaring continuity error in which one character puts on his glasses… and then picks up and puts on his glasses a paragraph later. How many simultaneous pairs of glasses can one person wear?! *ahem* Anyway.
To Hate and To Hold by Dakota Rebel. ebook. Good m/m paranormal romance about two vampires who hate each other and get bonded together as part of a mysterious curse. Their cursed bond forces them to get very, very familiar with each other… (Yes, that’s Slouching Open Black Jacket Guy on the left!)
A Pint Light by Devon Rhodes. ebook short. Enjoyable paranormal m/m romance about a vampire who’s expected to mate with a mage and is somewhat surprised to discover the mage is male.
Love Me Dead by A.M. Riley, Lex Valentine, & William Maltese. ebook collection. Good m/m paranormal romance collection about ghosts. (That cover scares me more than any ghost would…) I particularly enjoyed the two stories by A.M. Riley. Lex Valentine’s story was pretty good, but maybe a bit too sweet for me at the end. And, as is par for the course, I skipped the story by William Maltese.
Fire Season (Tales of the Darkworld, Book 3) by Lex Valentine. ebook. Ok m/m paranormal romance about a straight dragon shapeshifter whose fated mate turns out to be male. I thought the strongest part of this story was the time it spent showing how Holden dealt with (and didn’t deal with) his sudden attraction to a guy, which gets glossed over in a lot of fated mate stories. I didn’t like that Garrett made a lot of pronouncements, but never followed through on them. I also really wish I hadn’t read the epilogue, which suggests that their story isn’t finished… and I definitely won’t be reading the rest of it, based on that.
Caging the Tiger (Animal Attraction, Book 4) by Michelle Houston. ebook short. Ok m/m paranormal romance about a tiger shifter who’s finally going to meet the magician with whom he’s been corresponding for years. I think I’m done with this “series” of unrelated shorts, though – I just don’t care enough.
Guardian by Kalita Kasar. ebook short. Ok m/m romance about a guy who has no memory of his life before he was hit by a car when he was ten. And why does he have a recurring dream, from which he wakes yelling for Ben? He doesn’t know anyone named Ben… (Oh, good eye, you! That is BBG on the cover!)
Laying a Ghost by Jane Davitt & Alexa Snow. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance set on a Scottish island, about a fisherman who’s lived there all his life and a guy who comes to the island to live in the house his uncle left to him. Even with the insta-love aspect of the story, I really enjoyed this book. I know there are two additional books (and I have them already), but I’m not not sure I’ll be reading them soon because this really felt like a complete story unto itself.

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“But I don’t want to use the other portable kitty cave, big kitty. I want to use this one.” -Mayhem

“Tough luck, May. I got it first and I’m prepared to defend it with my laser eyes!” -Chaos

Congrats to Nancy, who won the copy of Stephani Hecht’s Man Down (which was released today)!

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Contests

• Stop by Morning Glow’s blog Novel Addiction tomorrow – she’ll be interviewing paranormal romance author, Frances Stockton, who will be giving away a giftcard to Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

• Lea’s giving away a copy of Tracy Wolff’s steamy new romance, Tease Me, to someone who comments by 7 pm EDT, April 16.

• Largehearted Boy is giving away baseball cards and a $100 Threadless gift certificate. For your chance to win, answer his question in the comments by midnight CDT, April 16.

• Tell Renee about a book that really spoke to you and you could win a copy of Octavia Butler’s classic science fiction novel, Parable of the Sower. Leave your comments by midnight PDT, April 16.

• Not sure I want to tell you about this, because it will decrease my chances of winning… L. B. Gregg’s giving away an ARC of her forthcoming m/m romance, In and Out (Men of Smithfield). Make sure you read the whole post before you leave your comment! Contest closes midnight EDT, April 18.

• Leave a comment at Renee’s Book Addiction by midnight PDT, April 18, for your chance to win a copy of Carolyn Crane’s recent urban fantasy, Mind Games.

• Blodeuedd’s giving away three copies of Alexey Pehov’s new fantasy, Shadow Prowler. And she’s giving away two copies of Amelia Grey’s new historical romance, An Earl To Enchant. Both contests closes April 19.

• Ralph’s giving away an ebook copy of Heidi Cullinan’s recent m/m romance, Special Delivery. Contest closes midnight, April 19.

• SciFiGuy’s giving away an ebook copy of Teal Ceagh’s paranormal romance, Eva’s Last Dance, to someone who answers his question in the comments by midnight EDT, April 20. (Teal Ceagh is aka Tracy Cooper-Posey.)

• Fill out the form at Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin’ Giveaways before May 4 for your chance to win one of three copies of Jane Slayre.

• Take a poll at TechKnitting for your chance to win a $20 gift certificate to the yarn shop of your choice if you respond by midnight CDT, May 15.

• All Things Urban Fantasy had 140 urban fantasy giveaways listed when I looked yesterday.

Reading & Books & Lions, Oh My! (Ok, I made up the lions bit)

• Happy National Library Week!

• All sorts of book news, interview links, new release info, and more: Lily (m/m romance), SciFiGuy (urban fantasy, paranormal romance, etc),  Literary Escapism (urban fantasy, paranormal romance), Smexy Books (contemporary & paranormal romance), and Katiebabs (assorted romance genres).

• Dear Author had lots of good info on ebooks, pricing, taxes, and more in their Tuesday Links post.

• ReadReactReview’s Monday link posts are guaranteed to get you thinking deep thoughts. Anastasia found some thought-provoking links, too. TeachMeTonight ponders what’s at the heart of the romance genre. And Fangs, Fur, & Fey talks about “literary criticism of the non-literary”.

• A neuroscientist comments on digital books.

• The Book Depository is launching an ebook store.

• Open Library might make searching for ebooks easier.

• Dear Author has a really good post about book pricing.

• How’s the iPad for reading books? From TeleRead and Gizmodo.

• Sales of ebooks surpassed the sale of audiobooks last year.

• Do locked-down (vs. open-source) systems actually indicate progress?

• Some thoughts on the global nature of publishing from India Ink.

• Anecdotal evidence suggests that ebook piracy has increased since the launch of the iPad. And the US government’s General Accountability Office thinks that most piracy reports overstate piracy.

• Nicola’s hosting the next Book Worm’s Carnival at her blog, Alpha Heroes, and the theme is Arthurian fiction. You’ll need to put your posts together by May 7 to participate.

• Neil Gaiman reads a poem.

• The Library of Congress is going to archive tweets?!?

• Consumerist thinks this is the saddest book ever written.

• Blood of the Muse reported in from a Jim Butcher book signing event.

• Charles Stross on misconceptions about book covers. Meljean Brook shares the step-by-step development of one of her book covers. Rick R. Reed on the step-by-step development of one of his book covers.

• Smart Bitches had a contest to mock up a fake book cover and the results are hysterically awesome. (Find out who won here.)

• Lea had a great post on a book lover’s hierarchy of needs.

Learn Things, Make Things, Do Things

• If you or someone you know follows a gluten-free diet, you should participate in the FDA’s survey on gluten-free shopping habits.

• Have you voted in the Webbys yet? Goodreads is nominated in Websites – Connections – Social Networking… and voting closes April 29. Thanks for the heads up, Ralph!

• *blink blink* Touching money can reduce pain?

• *blink blink blink* Each black hole might contain a smaller alternate universe? And our universe might exist inside a black hole in a larger universe?!

• Check out this visual representation of how many servers Google owns. Yikes.

• Lifehacker has some ideas on how you can declutter your digital life.

• Want to turn your print books into ebooks? $20 will set you up to do so.

• Lily found some great facts about coffee.

• If you’ve ever been curious about how much musicians earn online…

• Consumerist has some great tips to help you spot fake online reviews.

• Make your own inexpensive freezer packs for your lunchbox/bag.

Things That Made Me Happy or Amused Me

• Colin. Really. You must read it.

• Oh, Hyberbole and a Half, how I do love thee! Favorite recent quote: “As a grammatically conscientious person who frequents internet forums and YouTube, I have found it necessary to develop a few coping mechanisms.”

• Typo humor.

• Some Mental Floss, courtesy of Jeanne: cats playing in the bathroom (see the human cat perch! watch Orca go nutso on the TP!) and a very clever April Fool’s math class.

• Do you read Indexed?

• What have you learned from watching soap operas?

• The iPad – so simple, even your cat can use it!

• Anyone who has cats and knits will relate.

• Apparently Hell is fluffy.

• Basement Kitteh tries a different strategy.

• Heh – kitty packaging fail.

• Whoops – signage fail…

Ewww

• Badly located bedbug billboard…

• Baby’s first… cubicle?

Squee!

• A spooked black kitten.

• A yawning kitten.

• Cute kitten.

• Kitten siege.

• Two tabby kittens.

• Lots of kittens.

Reading Update
The Prayer Waltz by K.Z. Snow. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a writer who returns to the Wisconsin town in which his lover had been a priest (before he left the church), looking for understanding and closure, but finding so much more. A gorgeous and highly recommended read.
The Darkling Thrush by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Very good m/m fantasy romance about a finder of magickal books who’s interning in England from the American Confederation and gets drawn into something more complex than he realizes. I did spend the first quarter of the book with my usual “I am reading a fantasy” frustration of trying to remember all the specialized details, but I enjoyed the story enough that I got beyond that. Recommended.
Colliding in Free Fall by Vivien Dean. ebook. Good m/m romance about a closeted Midwestern firefighter who, in his early 40s, wants to keep doing his job, no matter what the doctor thinks.
Of the Clan O’Grady by A.M. Riley. ebook. Good m/m urban fantasy about the (male) banshee of the Clan O’Grady who befriends a naive young fae lost in New York City.
Son of a Gun by A.M. Riley. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about a writer who returns to the small Texas town where he grew up. He’s there for the funeral of his best friend, but why won’t anyone give him a straight answer about what happened? Highly recommended.
The Nest by G.S. Wiley. ebook. Good m/m romance about a young man struggling to take care of his three younger siblings and keep them out of the hands of Social Services while living on the wrong side of the tracks.
Mightier (The Seven of Swords) by G.S. Wiley. ebook short. Good m/m romance about a writer who’s staying at a friend’s Irish cottage trying to get past his writer’s block.
Heart Song by Sara Bell. ebook short. Nicely done m/m romance about a guitar player who’s forcibly outed and the impact it has on the rest of the band. What I really like about Sara Bell? She can write a sweet story without making it sappy.
The Lovers by Sara Bell. Another good m/m romance from Sara Bell about a soap opera star whose drug addict mother threatens to out him unless he pays her off (again).
Making Lemonade by T.C. Blue. ebook. A sweet m/m romance about a guy whose partner just died, but whose blossoming friendship with his partner’s nephew helps ease his grief.
In Hot Pursuit by Kate McMurray. ebook. Good m/m romantic suspense about a closeted NYPD cop, whose boyfriend was killed by a shot meant for him and who has been working too much in the years since then, is sent by his captain to a timeshare in Tampa on vacation to avoid burnout. Oh, the excitement he finds on his vacation…
Lynx by Joely Skye. ebook. Pretty good paranormal m/m romance about Trey, a werewolf who hides his nature and works for a blacks ops group in the US government. When running as a wolf in the Canadian Shield, he encounters a giant lynx shifter, and life will never be the same for either of them. While I enjoyed this book, I had trouble with how large, critical parts of it occurred offsides… and it distanced me from the story. The author’s note at the end of Lynx actually explains the offsides bit. Trey has been in Skye’s books Monster, Zombie, Minder, Marked, Feral, and The Strength of the Wolf and it was finally time for his story. Since Lynx was occurring at the same time as those books, with much of the critical stuff happening in other books, it ends up being sort of an odd read.
Bi Now, Gay Later (Perfect Timing, Book 5) by Kim Dare. ebook. Good m/m romance about a dominant who doesn’t believe that bisexuality exists, which causes a problem for his bisexual submissive.
Sandalwood and a Potato by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde. Enjoyable m/m romance about two guys who work at a mall – one owns a New Age shop and the other’s a banker who’s sworn off relationships. The best part? Finding out how the potato fit into the story!
Finding Chandler (free), A Test of Love, Switching Gears, and Stardust (The Solitary Knights of Pelham Bay, Books 1-4) by Claire Thompson. ebooks. These m/m romances are decent reads and remind me quite a bit of a Carol Lynne series. The Solitary Knights of Pelham Bay are a group of extremely cynical guys who’d given up on love and get together to bitch and moan about fools who believe in love. Then the bartender issues them a challenge…
Balance by Zahra Owens. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a desk jockey whose fascination for being tied up leads him to an introductory session at a kinky club, at which he meets a very intriguing tattoo artist.
Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by M. King. ebook. Interesting m/m romance about a guy working in advertising who becomes involved with a guy who works in the adult film industry. Usually this particular dynamic feels completely unrealistic to me, but in this book, it felt more plausible because it addressed the emotional complexity of the situation.
The Perfect Pumpkin Pie by Aaron Michaels. ebook. Cute m/m romance about a guy whose obsessive roommate keeps sending him to the store for very specific items – good thing the assistant manager of the store is so helpful, hmm?
Finding the Words by Terry O’Reilly. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a speech therapist who finds himself increasingly drawn to one of his patients.
One Good Turn (Turner & Turner, Book 1) by Amber Green. ebook. M/m romantic suspense that’s really too complicated for me to even attempt summing up. Not sure if it was my state of mind while I was reading or what, but this felt disjointed. Plus I really disliked the abrupt ending – I think this book needed to be longer or more tightly edited or both. (Yes, very good, that is Candy Cane Guy with the smiley face!)
Never Say Goodbye (Slippery When Wet, Book 3) by Jenna Byrnes. ebook. Ok m/m romance about an ex-con who’s been hired as a live-in lover by a wealthy and unscrupulous man. Had the insta-love thing, which is never a favorite of mine.

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*bathing in the sunshine sounds* -Chaos